Feeler-motion for looms.



H. A. GWEN. FEELER monow FOR LOOMS. APPLICATION HLED on. 2, 1914.

Patented Se t. 10,1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET lfnvent r WQ.O

Zl/z't 7266666 e 4 H. A. OWEN. FEELER MOTION FOR LOOM'S. APPLICATION FJLED OCLZrlBM.

PatentedSept. 10,1918.

I Inventor Q Owm ilhitfrzesse:

,HIA. OWEN. FEELERLMOTION FOR Looms.

APPLICATION FILED 0C T- 2| 19H.

M. a w 3 4 a 8 J 7 w a 0 w m W 1 .Z.. m

H. A. OWEN.

' FEE LER MOTION FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. -2, 1914.

1 378,731 Patented Sept. 10; 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

f m x 20 /l' l UNITED sTATEs PATENT 'oFFlCE-jf. i

v l HENRY A. OWEN, OF WHITINSVILLE. MASSACHUSETW, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS TO DRAPER CORPORATION, OF HOPEDALE; MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

Application filed October 2,

tflhlllpllfit'fi improvements in. feeler-inotions of those general classes in which the feeler makes feeling contact with the wound mass of wet't or lilling as a result of relative movement bringing the two together. One

;sueh.general class con'iprises'feeleranotions in which the stroke ot'gthe feeler is derived from the push of the wound suppl ot wet't or filling. the 't'eeler being mounted inde penilelitly of the lay. Another comprises w those ieelen notions,in which the stroke of the feeler is tern'iinated,through the Contact of the. feeler with the wound supply. the.

t'eeler usually heing mounted upon the lay.

in one broad aspect. the invention consists in a tee'leranotion having a s'ideslip ping con'tact-feele'r that varies abnormally in theextent of its stroke when the predetermined stage of exhaustion of the wound supply ofwveft oinlilling takes efl'ect upon it,

;tlI1(l through sueh abnormal variation calls the (lesir edi changein the o ieration of the necessarily restrictedjwith respect to the preciseniodes i'n which the principleujustc' set forth is embodied and appl1ed,'-because such modes may be varied in practice in carrying the invention into effect.

. I the) preferred mode. of redilcing iiiy principles of theinvention to practice. eniploy'a feeler. which iscollapslble automati- .eally injitsefiectivelength whenthepredetermined stage-aof --exhausti;on2 the Specification of Letters Patent.

\ FEELER-MOTION FOR Looms.

Patented Sept. 10, 1914. Seria1No.864,548. I

thereon The embodiments of the said )Iilleiples which are, shown and described herein contain feelers which are collapsible by reason of being of knuckle-jointed construction. These feelers are constructed and arranged toabreak joint, or in other words cripple or buckle. so. that thereby the effective lengtlrand the extent of the working stroke ot'a feeler shall be altered suddenly, when the filling-mass in the shuttle has bet-oine reduced to the predetermined minimum, and the resulting abnormal variation in the stroke'of the feeleroperates through the feelers control of the devices for bringing about a change inthe operation of. the loom to call the said ,devic es'into action and thereby bring about such change.

The invention includes, in addition to the foregoing. special features of construction which. are described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in tll8=0lt\lll1$.

In the drawings, V

Figure 1 shows in plan certain portions of a. loom with an embodiment of the invention applied thereto, the lay being at back center and a full supply of weft'or filling being contained in the shuttle on the'lay.

Fig. 1 is a View in vertical section on 80 parts of Fig. 1

Fig. Sheet 2, shows the in end or side elevation.

Fig. Sheet 3, is a plan viewof the: same parts but with thelay at iront center.

Fig. 4, Sheet 2,:is-an end orsideelevation 35 ,of the parts in the positions occupied by' them in Fig. 3; 1 i I Fig- 5, Sheet 4, is a-plan view with the lay at front center, showing the supply of weft or filling nearly exhausted. and the parts positioned to inticate automatic weftreplenishing mechanism into action. .Fig'. 6, Sheet 2, is-an' end or side elevation (if the partsas-shown inFig. 5.

Fig.7, Sheet 3; is a-plan view showing the preferred construetiomof feeler.

Fig. 7 is -a-sectional detail of the fee1ertip onlli'ne 7", 7 of Fig. 7. i

. Fig. 7? is aside elevation of the adj able acting portion-of the feelertip of Figs.

Fig. 8, Sheet 4, is a p-lanview showing a modification in the devices for calling the change in the operation'of the loom.

Fig. 9, Sheet 4, is a side elevation of the.

1 devices of Fig. 8.

Thedrawings illustrate the apphcation of feeler is'terminated through the contact of thefeeler with the wound supply) will be obvious to""those""skilled in the art without detailed explanation thereof.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 6, the fee'ler comprises the carrier-member or carrier 1 and the tip 2. As in the case of the feelers 1 ct various prior feeler-rnotion-s in use, the

- t'eeler 1, 2,

' on top, of the breast-beam 11.

:T he movable mounting of the is supported 'on the loom-fra me 111 a position which presents its tip in line with an opening or slot 3 (dotted lines) 1n the front-plate 4 of one of the shuttle boxes of the lay 5, and it is held yieldingly in a real-wand position. As usual, as the lay swings forward the said tip projects through the said opening or slot 3 and also through a registering slot 6 (dotted lines) in the front-wall of a shuttle .7 that has passed home in the said shuttle-box, so that the tip receives against its extren'lity the pressure of the exterior of the wound supply 8 of weft or filling contained in the said shuttle. feeler which permits the feeler to be moved toward the front of the loom by the push of the said wound supply as usual in feeler-motionsof this class, and which in practice may be provided for in any of the various modes heretofore known, is providedfor by inaking the carrier-member or carrierl in the\ form of an arm or lever and pivoting the same at 9 upon a convenient support. Such support in instance is a bracket 10 fixed The carriermember or carrier 1 is supported by the upper surfa ce of the bracketlO in a manner permitting it to swing'in a horizontal plane around the pivot 9. The means of holding the feeler normally in its rearward position with yielding-force, and. returning it rearwardly tosuch position after being moved forward therefrom, consists in this instance in a contracting spiral spring 12, which acts through a secondarylever 'l t-that is pivoted at 15 upon the bracket .10. one end of the spring being engaged with the secondary lever at 1.6 and the other end of the spring being engaged with the breashbeam at 17. The said rearward ppsition is determined by a fixed stop The spring holds the outer'arm of the sec inwardly exten in general class aforesaid,- in which the stroke of the axis of pivot 2.

13 mounted upon the bracket 11 wardly extendingarm of the carrier-member or CZLI'I'IGIYI so as. to keep the eele sit-ion. Through the action of the spring the feeler and the Secondary lever 14' are returned to their normal position'afteiueach feeling action, The control of the feeler' over the devices for calling the change in the operation of the loom is described later herein.

The collapsibility of the feeler 1, 2, to which reference has been made is provided for in Figs. 1' to 6 by mounting the tip 2 in a manner giving it capacity to change'its position with relation to the carrier-member or carrier .1. Considering this phase of the invention broadly, I do not restrict myself to any precise specific mode of securing this capacity. In this. instance it is secured by pivoting the tip 2 at 2* upon a rearwardly extending plate: 1 carried by the outer end ofthe carrier-member or carrier 1, so that the tip is capable of a movement upon the .said pivot in a hori zontal plane. By means of a spring, as 1", the tail-portion of the't-ip is held normally against 'a stop-pin 2 on the plate 1, thereby giving the acting extremityof the working position at the rear end of the feeler where the wound supply of weft or filling may make contact with the same, andfix-ing the normal relation of the tip to the carrier-member 1,- and the effective length of the feeler. The construction and arrangement-are such that swinging movement of the feeler-tip away-from its normal relation to carrieremem'ber 1 operates to carry its engaging extremity 'forwardrelative to said carrier-member, and in this w'a-y the effective length of the feeler is reduced.

In order that the swinging of the feelertip 2 with relation to the carrier-member 1 may be brought about pr per time, the engaging extremity of the fler-tip is located laterally (as well as rearwardly) of the pivot 2; that is tofsay, it is located at one sideof the line of the The purpose of this is to cause the pressure of the wound supply of weft or filling against the said extremity to art along a line passing at one side of the shall have a tendency to" said axis. so that it turn' the fPA'lOP-tlf) around the pivot. 2 in the direction of the length of the shuttle.

The engaging extremity of the leeler-tip is wedge-shaped. with a colnparat-irely-blunt edge for Contact with the wound mass of weft-pr filling contained within the shuttle 7. t is given the said shape in order that when the said edge contacts with a mass oi" wet't or lilting otany thirlq'u-ss it may in dentthe exterior of such mass slightly, and

lateral swinging,

and tends to press the said arm. against the stop 13- in its rearward potip its automatically at the 1 that when the said mass has become sub stantially exhausted the extremity may enter between, the coils or turns and make contact with thesurface of the weft-carrier upon which the weft or filling is wound.

Referring now to the operatiomwhen, as in the drawings, the shuttle occupies the shuttle-box at the side of the loom at which the'feeleris located, and the lay moves forward from its position in F igs. l and 2 to that in Figs. 3 and 4: so as to carry the shuttle toward the feeler and so that the feelertip enters slot (3 in the front shuttle wall, the exterior of the wound mass of welt or lillingjcontalned in the shuttle will press against the engaging extremity of the feelertip as in. Figs. 3 and 4. The push of the said mass, in consequence of taking effect against the feeler-tip at one side of the pivot 2 connecting it with the carrier 1, will tend to cause the feeler tip to swing or swivel around thesaid pivot. The feeler-tip to swing or swivel around the said pivot will be opposed by the tension of the spring 1*, which however is light and offers only a slight resistance to the swinging 'or swiveling of the feeler-tip, and also will be opposed by the engagement ofsthe engaging extremity of the fe'eler-tip with the exterior of the wound mass, in which the said extremity slightlyembeds itself. So long as there is enough weft or, filling in the sh .uttle to meet the more immediate. needs in weaving,.the 'holdjof the comparatively firm mass of weft o'r filling upon the engaging extremity of the feeler-tipwill preyentthe feeler-tip. from 'being swung transversely relative to, the carrier ,1 the forward pressure of the wound supply of weft ior filling against the said extremity. Thefeeler will remain .unflexed and of its full workinq length, and the forwardly. directed pus against the extremity of its tip willhave its. full effect in. moving the carrier-mel'nber 1 forward. The action isrepresentediin-Fig 3, Sheet'hfand Fig; 4,,Sheet'2 When, how

ever, the. wound supply fol 'wjeft or, lil -ling within the shuttle becomes; 'so fa r depleted as to permit the acting extremity L-the,

feelertip to ..=niake contact. with a surface;

within the said woundfsupply, which is more unyielding and .lesse'fleotiviein holding the they should be made; responsive to an abv,normal variation in the stroke of the feeler,

or otherwise to the variation in the effective materially increase the. tendency. to, swing:

the feeler-tip arouridgthe pivot 29? agains't th tension of the spr-in 1". WhenftheaMmh of coils of w eft o 1 surface ha's ibeom' fectually tli tendency of the an element.

lapse in the effective length thereof. as in Fig. 5, the consequence of which will he a fairly material difference in the extent of the stroke that is con'nnunicated to the feelela That is to say, the said stroke will he ahnormally rediu'ed. namely by an amount per ceptihly greater than that due to the more reduction in dian'ieter of the wound supply of weft or filling which is incidental to the paying-out of well. o'r'filling from the shuttle. In practice, I have found it convenient. to efi'ect in this manner a complete or practically complete cessation of the movement of the feeler.

AS in the case of various other leek-rand tions employing cmitact-feelers, the stroke communicated to the teeler l, 2, remains unchanged in extent until the portion of the ehnorma variation in the, extent of the feeler-stroke which does call' the change when the predetermined stage of'exhaustion ofithe wound supply of weft or filling takes efi'ect upon the feeler. l

The precise character and arrangement of the devices for calling the desired change in the operation or the loom, and the precise of v the said de'vice through the stroke of. the feeler', are not in themselves of the gist of ,-the inventionfand may vary in practice, allthough certain of my, claims hereinafter cover sub-combinations in which a dog that forms a part of such devices is included as All, so to speak, that is re- .mannerand means of controlling the" action a quired concerning thesaid devices is that length ofthe feeleia. The prior art (a ntains warious forms-and a-rrangenuuits of devices for the purpose stated-,fl'and various ways off controlling sa d dev ces from or by the t. I have shown, in? Figs. 1 ,to '6 one fheleif, many of which maybe adopted in. rrying theprinciples of my invention into nt theseme n'elud-ing,

mounted pivotally at 23 upon a link or extension Zl extending rearward from an arm 25 mounted upon the usual breast-beam rockshaft (not shown), the dog and arm being combined operatively in practice with automatic weft-replenishing mechanism, or other mechanism for bringing about the desired change in the operation of the loom. The dog 20 is formed at the undersidoof its rear end with a tooth or shoulde' 20, Fig; 1, designed t be engaged by a striker 26 constituted by a lateral projection fronr the weft-hammer lever 27. It is o'verbalanced or over-weighted at the rear of its pivot 23 so that its toothed or shouldered portion gravitates downward into the position shown in Fig. l and normally occupies the said position, which is determined by the engagement of its projecting tail-with the stop-pin it! carried by the link 2-1. In

this-position of the dog its tooth or shoulder- Zt) is located in the path of movement of the striker 2(3. The cngageu-ient of the dog by the striker 2G is dcsignedto take place in the forward movement of the said striker, under the control of the feeler. The control may he direct, but in this-instance the control is effected through the secondary lever ll, which i-nay be termed specifically a controller for the dog. The said. lever lil: controls-the dog by means of an upwardly projecting pin 26 with which the leveris furnished, the said pin being located close behind a pin 20 pro ecting outwardly from the dog 20 above the pivot23 of the latter.

In thei iormal position of the feelcr and controller the )osition of the pin 26 is such as to permit. tlie dog to gravitate into its normal position shown in Fig. 1, namely with its tooth or engaging portion 20: disposed suitably to be engaged bythe str1ker26 as the striker goes forward. The movement of the lever 14: which results whenmovement is communicated to the feeler by forward pressure of the massof filling 8 against the tip or acting portion of the f'eeler causes the in 26 to act against the pin 20 to tilt the 0g and move the tooth or shoulder 20 out.

I 'of the path of movement of the striker.

' place.

The construction just described is intended to act to cause the tooth or shoulder 20" of the dog to be lifted out of the path of the striker so through the pressure of the wound mass of filling-8 against the feeler so'long as the said mass exceeds the prede-' termined mininmm, but'to permit the said tooth or shoulder to remain in the said path when the quantity of filling remaining n the shuttle has become reduced tothe said uninimum; and the predetern'iined abnormal variation in the stroke of the feeler takes amountto a complete or practically com ple'te cessation of the movement'of the feeler.

The said abnormal variation may forming a longitudinal for the stem of the screw l3 which holds the Provision for shifting the normal position of the feeler-tip forward or rearward in the loom so as to cause it to be encountered by the wound supply of weft or filling either later or earlier in the forward stroke of the i stop in place upon the bracket 10. The slot enables the stop to be adjusted lengthwise, and by such adjustment of the stop the normal position of the feeler as assumed by the latter under the action; of the spring 12, and consequently the normal position of the feeler-tip, may be varied as required in practice. I

For practical reasons, I prefer a swingin mounting of the feeler substantially like that herein shown, as it involves acomparatively inexpensive construction as Well as provides for free and easy movement of the feeler Other forms and arrangements of feelers and mountings that are suitable are known in the art, and may be employed in cases in which it is not deemed necessary to secure the special advantages that are in herentin the swinging mounting.

Intvirtne of mounting the feeler to.swing like an arm or lever there is no tendency to cramping of the feeler in its movement. The action is better than would be the. case if it were mounted to slide in-a straight guideway or ways, for the pressure of the forward] y moving wound mass of weftor filling against the engaging extremity of the feelertip i nthe latter instance vwould tend to cause the feeler to cramp in the said guide'ways or way. I contemplate mounting the. feeler to move in a. guideway or ways in somevcases, however.

It. is intended in the case of the illustrated forms of feeler-tips that when the wound weft or filling upon the barrel of the fillingairr'ier 8 atthe point where the engaging extremity of the fee ler-ti p engages is reduced coils or turns and make contact with the surface of the filling-carrier under them. The

tendency of the pressure of said surface against the engaging extremity of the feelertip to displace the latter laterally will vcause then theengaging extremity to press some.

of the said coilscr turns outward, making an opening between them as in Fig. 5. In case the first contact of the enga ing extremity with the surface of the fi ling-carrier should notopcrate to displace the 'feeler tip,

the spreading apart of the coils orturns will facilitate the further displacement of the feeler-tip so thatv'on the second or thud co r Herein it is tact the crippling or buckling of the feler and reduction of its effective length will be made complete. So long as there are at least two cross-wound overlying layers of coils or turns at the place where the engaging extremity of the feeler-tip engages with the wound weft or fillin the crossing of the wind of one layer by hat of another will bind the coils or turns together so that lateral displacement of the feeler-tip will be prevented. Hence with feeler-tips having engaging extremities like those shown in the drawings, the abnormal variation in the stroke of the feeler will seldom if ever take place before the wound supply of weft or filling has been reduced to a single layer.

The distance of the engaging portion or extremity of the feeler-ti laterally outward from the pivot 9 is su cient to cause the said extremity to travel in an outwardly convex arc of comparatively slight curvature. An advantage of this is the fact that the said engaging extremity has a compound or combined forward and outward movement. The effect of this is to cause the said en aging extremity to dip or pick under the coi s or turns of the yarn next outward beyond the same, so as the more effectually to engage with such coils or turns. This has the double effect of holding the feeler-memher with greater certainty from premature lateral displacement outward, and of facilitating the separating of the coils or turns after the weft or filli 21g has become reduced to a single layer.

The lateral offsetting of the engagingextremity of the feeler-tip' is toward the side of the the fill1ngcarrier 8 is located, in order that the tendency for lateral displacement of the said acting extremity may manifest itself in the direction toward the said head or base. The reason for this is the fact that since the weft or filling is wound first in layers of short length at and near the head or base of the filling-carrier there is less tendency to premature displacement of the coils or turns'of the first 0r innermost layer in the said direction when such layers are exposed to being engaged by the tip 'of the feeler-member than there would be in. a direction toward the tip of the feeling'carrier.

Figs. 8 and 9, Sheet 4, show devices for calling the change that differ somewhat'm charactcrand modeof operation from those of Figs. 1 to 6. It has been explained that in the'case of the latter the dog 20 gravitates into position to be engagedby the striker 26, and that the movement of the feeler and secondary lever'ltthat'is due to the push of the wound supply of weft or filling operates through the pressurebf the pin-26 of said lever against the pin 20 of the dog to cause,

the dog to be tilted out of the-path of the ivot 2 at .which the head or base of ward .in umson with the dog.

striker. The secondary'lever '14 is 'eni quired range of movement in the case of the pin 26 and partly for the purpose of changing the direction of the transmitted movement derived from the t'eeler so that the said pin 26 shall act properly against the pin 20" to tilt the dog as the feeler is pushed forward by the weft or filling. l

The dog 20 of Figs. 8 gravitating dog. It differs in working from' the dog of Figs. 1 to 6 in that it tends to gravitate out of the path of the striker 26 and in several other respects, It is kept at times in the said path by means of the inwardly extending arm 1* of the feeler goes forward swings the feeler-arm 1 rearward out of engagement with the dog, permitting the dog to gravitate out of the path of the striker, and down in front of said arm, so that the forwardly inovingstriker passes over the dog without ei'igagingwith the latter. For the purposeo'f resetting and 9 also is ap loyed partly for the purpose of securing t e rethe dog, a prolongation or finger 2ti is p'rorlded upon the striker. In the advanceoof the striker this finger engages with an up standing toe or projection 20 of the dog, and operates to swing the dog upon-its pivotal connection with the arn125 high enough to permit the inwardly extending arm of the focler to pass under the same again. The said arm having resumed its position under the dog, the striker returns to its rearward position. The striker'is connected pivotally to the weft-hannner lL- ver 27 by which it is supported and actuated, in order to permit the striker to swing'up- A stopdug 26 projecting from the striker near its pivot engages with the striker from swinging down too low. When the stroke of the feeler ceascsaor becomes abnormall: reduced through exhaustion of the woun supply of weft or filling, thearm lever 27 to prevent the 1" of the feelei' remains under the dog,

supporting the latter imposition to beengagedby the striker. The latter acts mats advanceto push the arm 25 forward and call the change inthc operation of the loom- The acting extremity of the fccler-tip may be integral withthe other portions of the feeler tip, but I contemplate ir'nsom'e cases forming the said acting extremity as aseparate. ieoe and attachin it to the body of the fee er-ti'p- Fig. l";

' beet 3 shows section may vary in practice.

' split socket 1" Figs. 7,

"hold the feeler-tip in its to th'isend I provide means the tension of the feeler-tip spring, such separately what may becalled a feelerpoint, it being in the form of a short rod 1 having one end thereof beveled off on opposite sides to render the said end wedge shaped. The said rod is shown as of cylindrical cross-section, but the shape in cross- For the convenient'mounting of the feeler-point in connection with the body' of the feeler-tip I have shown the said bod formed with a i to receive the feeler-poi'nt, the said split socket being furnished with a screw 1" by which its sideportions may be drawn together to clamp the feeler-point between them. This construction provides for the complete convenient application or removal of the feelerpoint and' for adjustment of the latter in thedirection of its length to vary the distance' of its apex from the pivot 2 of the feeler,-tip.

The material of the feelcr-tip may vary in practicef The same may be composed altogether of metal, or altogether of other material such as so-called fiber, of which vulcanized fiber is an instance. ()r the tipbody may be com'posed of one material. as metal, and the feelerspoint (when made as a separate piece) of another, as fiber. The shape of the apex may vary, ness thereof.

Fig. 7 shows a convenient manner of mounting the feeler-tip upon the carrier'- member 1 so as to obviate liability of the pivot 2" to work loose when the said pivot is constitutedby a screw. The pivotal screw 2 is formed next adjoining its flange-like head with a smooth cylindrical body of a length just exceeding the thickness of the body of the fecler-tip,- with a shoulder at the lower end of the said cylindrical body,

and with a screw-threaded stem below such shoulder. The said screw-threaded stem is screwed into a threaded hole'that is tapped into the carrier-member 1. until the said shoulder is tightened up against the upper surfaeeof the carrier-member. The distance between the underside of the flangeof the head of the screw is just sufficient to permit the feeler-tip to work freely without vertical playyand the screw cannot be tightened up so as to cause the fecler-tip to bind.

In order to 'preserve simplicity in the showing. in Figs. 1 to 6 I have represented a simple contracting spring '1? employed to normal position upon the carrier or carriermember. -In practice it is desirable to have provisions for adjusting the tension of the feeler-tip, and for adjusting means being omitted from Figs. 1 to 6. Means for this purpose is shown in Fig. 7, inwhich I have s n. al o a different latter,

and the sharpform of Spring comprising a long arm which acts upon the feeler-tip. The spring 1 of Fig. 7 is composed of a straight length of spring-material, shown as a wire, although a blade-spring might be employed. ofthe spring isengaged with the fecler-tip and the other is made fast by means of a clamping screw 1 in a suitable socket that is provided in connection with a forward extension 1 of the carrier or carrier-member 1.. The adjustment provisions comprise a screw 1 working in a threaded hole that is tapped through the extension 1 and engaging with the spring. One end of this screw engages with the spring so as to control the and by adjustment of the screw the spring may be flexed to the extent required for opposing the proper degree of resistance to the turning of the feclcr-tip upon its pivot under the push of the wound supply of weft or filling thereagainst.

Through adjustment of the tension of the feeler-tip the readiness with which the latter yields so as to become laterally may be regulated for the purpose of secur ing the desired'action in practice; lVith the same general purpose in view I make provisions for varying the extent to which the acting extremity of the fecler-tip is offset laterally with respect to the line of the piv otal axis of the feeler-tip. It will be obvi ous that the greater the extent of the lat;- eral off-setting, be the.l'everage, and the more readily will the feeler-tip tend to displace laterally upon the carrier-member or carrier. The contrary will be the case the less the extent of the lateral offsetting. These last mentioned provisions comprise .the adjustable stopscrew 1 Fig. 7, having its threaded stem fitted to a threaded hole that is tapped through a lug 1 of the carrier-member 1, the inner end of the said stem being disposed in position to engage with the feeler-tip as the latter ISjlllIled upon its pivot through the action of the spring. By'adjustment of this screw theexte'nt to which'the feeler-tip is permitted to turn around its pivot under the action ofthe spring may be varied as required, and thereby the extent to which the acting extremity of the feeler-tip is offset when in its nomal position may be varied as may be required in order to secure the desired results in operation.- 1' is a loeknut upon' -screw 1. Y

. Various changes and modifications in ad dition to those indicated herein may be made in the construction and arrangement of; the-parts.

An advantage inherent in a ,feeler having a tip or contact-pointcomposed of fiber or equivalent materlal is that itdoes notindent or wear the surface of the anti en- .rier through the mutual impact, as ddes it One en d displaced the more advantageous will Y 1. A feeler-motion for looms comprising a support, a feeler carrier mounted thereon for normal displacement inthe direction of the lays ad vance a side-slipping feeler tip capable of swinging laterally on said feelercarrier, said tip being actuated by the push of t e wound mass of weft or filling and imparing the said normal displacing movement to said carrier and by its sllpping adapted to produce an abnormal variation in the degree of said displacement, in combination with changing mechanism and means controlled by said carrier and in turn controlling the changing mechanism whereby the latter is rendered operative by the said abnormal variation.

2. A feeler motion for looms comprising a side-slipping feeler tip engaged by the wound mass of weft, a member receiving a normal displacement stroke in the direction of the lays advance imparted to it from the filling through said feeler tip, the side-slipp'ing movement of the feeler being relative to said member, loom changing mechanism and means whereby the normal stroke of said member is made effective to hold said mechanism inactive.

3. A feeler-motion having a feeler actuated by the push of the wound mass of weft or filling against atip which displaces longitudinally of the shuttle under the said push when the supply of weft or filling is substantially exhausted, and having combined with the said tip a swinging spring arm operatively engaging by a swinging portion thereof wi'tlrthe said tip and controlling, the tendency to lateral displacement, and means to adjust the tension of the said arm by flexure thereof to thereby regulate the displacing action.

4. A feeleranotion having a feeler actuated by the push of the wound mass of weft or filling, against a tip which displaces in the direction of the length of the shuttle about an axis of displacement under the said push when the supply of weft or filling is substantially exhausted, and having combined with the said feeler -tip adjusting means for varying the distance to which the normal working position of its pressure-receiving extremity is offset relative to the line of the said axis.

5. A fecler-motion having a feeler actuated by the push of the wound mass of weft or filling against a'tip which displaces in the direction of the length of the shuttle about an axis of displacement under the said push when the supply of weft or filling is sub stantially exhausted, and having combined with the said feelcr-tip an adjustablestop by which the normal working position of the listen T: "F? "4 53' 4: 1, 'l li iii -"db trmined en =,0;f ic'liithc distance to d extremity is offset relative to the line of the said axis may be varied.

6, A feelcranotion having a feeler actuated by the push 'of the wound supply of weft or filling against a tip which displaces in the direction of the length of the shuttle about an axis-of displacement under the said push when the supply of weft or filling is.sub-

stantially exhausted, and having combined with the said feeler'tip a spring which controls the tendency to displacement, and an adjustable stop by which the normal working position of the pressure-receivin extremity of the feeler-tip is determine and by adjustment of which the distance to which the said extremity is ofi'set relative to the line of the said axis may be varied.

7. A feeler-motion having a feeler actuated by the push of the wound supply of weft or filling against a pivotally-mounted feelertip which is displaced by a swinging move ment in the direction of the length of the shuttle under the said push when the said supply is substantially exhausted, a spring which tends to hold the feeler-tip in normal working position and coiitrols the tendency to displacement, and an adjusting-screw by which the said working position is determined and by adjustment of which the distance to which the pressure-receiving extremity of the feeler-tip is offset relative to the line of the pivotal axis may be varied.

8. A lieeler motion for looms comprising a carrier lever subject to displacement in the direction of the, lays advance, loom changing mechanism controlled by an abnormal variation in said displacement, a side-slipping 'feeler tipactuated by the push of the wound mass of filling, normally transmitting the full extent of the said push'to the said lever and a knuckle-joint mounting for said tip whereby it. imparts less of said push to the lever when it slips on the filling.

9. A fceler motion for looms comprising a carrier lever subject to displacement in the direction of the lays advance, a secondary lever operated thereby, a dog controlled by said secondary lever and loom changing mechanism controlled by said dog, in com bination with a side-slipping feelei actuated by the push of the wound mass of filling and normally transmitting the full extent of 10. A'fecler-motion comprising, in combination with the lay and suitable changing mechanism, a. support, a feeler-carrier having a mounting on said support whereby it normally reciprocatcs torward and rearward with respect to the directions of advance and retreat f the my, a feeler constructed, and i jointed to the feelei cai-rier so as slip ated by the feeler-carrier and eifected by 10 lengthwise of the shuttle and transversely to said abnormal variation so as to cause the. the direction of normal movement of the operation of the changing mechanism.

feeler-carrier and relatively to the feelel In testimony whereof I affix my signature 5 carrier when the supply of weft or filling in presence of two witnesses;

is substantially exhausted, thereby causing HENRY A. OWEN.

an abnormal variation in the degree of said Witnesses:

. movement of the feeler-carrier, and a con- NATHAN B. DAY,

holler for the changing mechanism actu- ELLEN 0. SPRING. 

